María Conchita Alonso

María Conchita Alonso

Alonso at LA Pride, June 12, 2011
Background information
Birth name María Concepción Alonso Bustillo
Born June 29, 1957
Origin Cienfuegos, Cuba
Genres Latin pop, Adult Contemporary, Dance-pop, Pop rock
Occupation(s) Actress, singer, songwriter
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Years active 1975–present
Members Boyfriend Ferdinand Barre

María Conchita Alonso (born June 29, 1957), better known as María Conchita, is a Cuban-born Venezuelan-raised three time Grammy Award–nominated singer/songwriter and actress.

Early life

María Conchita Alonso was born María Concepción Alonso Bustillo in Cienfuegos, Cuba, the daughter of Ricardo Alonso and María Conchita Bustillo. Her family moved to Venezuela when she was five years old, in 1962, after the Cuban Revolution. She had her first experience in show business when she was crowned Miss Teenager of the World in 1971, and was Miss World/Venezuela in 1975 where she became sixth runner-up in the Miss World pageant won by Puerto Rico's Wilnelia Merced; she quickly became a top model and a popular singer/actress in Venezuela.

Career

Alonso's first gold album and number one song in the charts was "Love Maniac" in 1979, her name as a singer back then was A'mbar, after that followed her second number 1 with "The Witch" and soon after "Dangerous Rhythm". In what is generally considered to be her best known song, she was asked by Giorgio Moroder to write the lyrics in Spanish and sing "Vamos a Bailar" which he had written to be part of the soundtrack for the film Scarface. The song instantly became a classic amongst Spanish speakers despite failing to garner any major attention outside of Cuba where it was recorded. As her two albums with Ambar and her solo debut were recorded in English, it was her second album "Maria Conchita" from 1984 that made her a singing star in the Spanish-speaking market, receiving a "Best Latin Artist" Grammy nomination for it in 1985.

She made her Hollywood film debut in 1984 in Moscow on the Hudson with Robin Williams, and also starred in movies like Extreme Prejudice, The Running Man, Predator 2, The House of the Spirits, Vampire's Kiss, Colors, and the TV reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. She was one of the few Latin-born actresses to star in a Broadway show in 1995, playing Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Alonso also acted in romantic comedies Chasing Papi (2003) and The Last Guy on Earth (2006).

Alonso was cast to play Lucía, the mother of Gabrielle Solis, on the ABC hit show Desperate Housewives. The episode was aired on February 19, 2006. She was also in the Latin version Amas de Casa Desesperadas for Univision Network. She was a guest star in the live-action film of the comic book El Muerto and appeared in the film Material Girls (2006).

Alonso hosted VH1's Viva Hollywood! on April 13, 2008 with Carlos Ponce. She portrayed Sam in the Werewolf horror film Wolf Moon, which was directed by Dana Mennie.[1]

Alonso shot Rob Zombie's Lords of Salem, coming out in 2013.

Political views

Alonso is an outspoken critic of Cuba's Fidel Castro and late Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, whom she had described as a "dictator" like "Hitler,"[2] and those who vote and support him as "terrorists."[3] She has appeared on Sean Hannity's Hannity's America on May 6, 2007, Hannity & Colmes on June 1, 2007[2] and Bill O'Reilly's The O'Reilly Factor on August 13, 2007 and March 11, 2009.

Alonso issued an "Open Letter to Sean Penn" online on March 29, 2010 regarding his support of then-President Hugo Chávez. She used a point-by-point refrain of "WHY" in her letter questioning various issues occurring in Venezuela.[4] In December 2011, she got into a heated exchange with Penn at a Los Angeles airport during which Penn called her a pig and she responded by calling Penn a communist.[5]

In an August 2012 Spreecast interview, Alonso stated her opposition to the reelection of President Obama, saying that if reelected he will take steps to make the United States become more like Venezuela under the Chávez government.[6]

In the fall of 2008, Alonso endorsed the presidential campaign of Republican nominee John McCain, writing:[7]

As a Latina and a new American citizen, I believe in this country and its people, and I believe that we need more than just "change." We need a leader who can bring about the right kind of change, and John McCain has the experience and judgment necessary to lead us in these uncertain times. I grew up in Cuba and Venezuela, and I am appalled that Barack Obama apparently wants to emulate the "spread the wealth" economic policies of those countries and negotiate with their leaders.
—Maria Conchita Alonso

In January 2014, Alonso resigned from a San Francisco production of The Vagina Monologues after appearing in an advertisement for Republican candidate for Governor Tim Donnelly.[8]

In September, 17 2014, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro asked Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres to pursue on court legal actions to strip Alonso of her Venezuelan citizenship. [9] The reason was her public request on a radio interview for a military intervention against Venezuela: "In my opinion, (the US) must intervene, because the Cubans already invaded without firing a single bullet because they gave it (Venezuela) for free. So I would like that the US would invade using bullets to get all those communist out of Venezuela" [10]

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1978 Savana - Sesso e diamanti Margaret Johnson Italian B Movie
1979 Solon
1979 Estefanía Silvana Cataldo TV series
1979 Mabel Valdez, periodista TV series
1980 Natalia de 8 a 9 Mariana Brito TV series
1980 Mi hijo Gabriel TV series
1981 Marielena TV series
1981 Angelito TV series
1981 Luz Marina Luz Marina TV series
1981 El Esposo de Anaís TV series
1982 Claudia Claudia TV series
1982 Fantasy Island French Girl 1 episode
1982 Knight Rider Marie Elena Casafranca 1 episode
1984 Nacho playing herself TV series
1984 Moscow on the Hudson Lucia Lombardo
1984 Fear City Silver as Maria Conchita
1986 A Fine Mess Claudia Pazzo aka Blake Edwards' A Fine Mess (USA: complete title)
1986 Touch and Go Denise DeLeon
1987 Il cugino americano Caterina Ammirati aka Blood Ties (USA: TV title)
1987 Extreme Prejudice Sarita Cisneros
1987 The Running Man Amber Mendez
1988 Con el Corazón en la Mano
1988 Colors Louisa Gomez
1989 One of the Boys Maria Conchita Navarro 1 episode
1989 Vampire's Kiss Alva Restrepo
1990 Predator 2 Leona Cantrell
1991 Cuerpos clandestinos (TV) Claudia
1991 McBain Christina
1992 Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story (TV) Carmen aka Power Play: The Jackie Presser Story (UK: video title)
1993 Roosters Chata
1993 The House of the Spirits Tránsito Soto
1994 Alejandra TV series Alejandra
1994 Texas (TV) Lucia aka James A. Michener's Texas
1994 MacShayne: The Final Roll of the Dice (TV) Cindy Evans
1996 Caught Betty aka Atrapados (USA: Spanish title)
1996 For Which He Stands Theresa Rochetti
1996 Sudden Terror: The Hijacking of School Bus#17 Marta Caldwell
1997 Women: Stories of Passion Sophia 1 episode
1997 Chicago Hope Emma Scull 2 episodes
1997 Robert Altman's Gun Marti 1 episode
1997 Catherine's Grove Charley Vasquez
1997 F/X: The Series Elena Serrano 2 episodes
1997 Acts of Betrayal Eva Ramirez
1998 Exposé Nancy Drake aka Footsteps (Philippines: English title) (USA: working title)
1998 Blackheart Annette
1998 The Nanny Concepcion Sheffield 1 episode
1998 The Outer Limits Marie Alexander episode: "The Vaccine"
1998 El Grito en el cielo Miranda Vega aka Shout Out (USA: festival title)
1998 My Husband's Secret Life (TV) Toni Diaz
1999 Touched by an Angel Dr. Sandra Pena 1 episode
1999 Dillinger in Paradise Lola
2000 Chain of Command Vice President Gloria Valdez
2000 Knockout Carmen Alvarado
2000 A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle (TV) Gloria
2000 Best Actress (TV) Maria Katarina Caldone
2000 High Noon (TV) Helen Ramirez
2000 Twice in a Lifetime Kat Lopez 1 episode
2000 The Princess & the Barrio Boy (TV) Minerva Rojas aka She's in Love (UK)
2001 The Code Conspiracy Rachel
2001 Resurrection Blvd. Julia Hernandez 3 episodes
2001 Birth of Babylon Lupe Velez
2002 Blind Heat Adrianna Scott
2002 Robbery Homicide Division Claudia 1 episode
2003 The Company You Keep Vera
2003 Kingpin (TV mini-series) Ariela
2003 Heart of America Mrs. Jones aka Home Room (Australia)
2003 Chasing Papi Maria
2003 Newton's Law
2004 CSI: Miami Marisela Gonzalez 1 episode: Blood Moon
2005 English as a Second Language Consuelo Sara
2005 La Academia USA Judge
2005 Smoke Aurora Avila
2006 Desperate Housewives Lucia 1 episode
2006 Material Girls Inez
2007 The Dead One Sister Rosa
2007 The Condor (V) Mrs. Valdez (voice) aka Stan Lee Presents: The Condor (USA: DVD box title)
2007 Saints & Sinners Diana Martin 62 episodes
2008 Richard III Queen Elizabeth
2008 Tranced Libra
2008 The Art of Travel Mrs. Layne
2008 The Red Canvas (post-production) Maria Sanchez
2008 Trópico de Sangre (filming)
2008 Two Minutes Of Hate (announced) Dos minutos de odio
2008 Unauthorized Clifford (announced) Des-Autorizado (Venezuela: wide-release title)
2009 Maneater (miniseries) Alejandra Alpert Two episodes
2009 Dark Moon Rising Sheriff Sam.
2009 Spread (film) Rich woman from the pool
2012 Lords of Salem
2014 Return to Babylon Lupe Vélez

Radio

Discography

Singles

Year Song Hot Latin Songs Album
1987 "Sueltame" 22 Grandes Éxitos
1987 "Otra Mentira Más" 24 Mírame
1988 "Y Es Que Llegaste Tú" 5
1990 "Hazme Sentir" 24 Hazme Sentir
1991 "A Él Lo Quiero" 35
1993 "Promesas" 20 Imagíname

References

  1. ↑ "Wolf Moon DVD Art and Special Features Revealed". Dreadcentral.com. 2010-04-14. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "All those people are Chavistas, all those people are controlled by Chavez... So they say what Chavez wants them to say... No, he was not elected democratically. The first time he was elected democratically, but the last two time[s], the referendum and this last month of December, he was not." Hannity & Colmes, Fox News. June 2007.
  3. ↑ Geraghty, James. "After Watching Her Speak, Giuliani Was an Afterthought," National Review Online. May 1, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Open Letter to Sean Penn". Mediaite.com. 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
  5. ↑ "Where Washington Comes To Talk Now on 105.9FM!". WMAL. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  6. ↑ Steve Malzberg (8 August 2012). "Alonso: Obama Win a Move Toward Chavez". Spreecast. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  7. ↑ Press office. Maria Conchita Alonso Endorses John McCain JohnMcCain.com, October 31, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Actress Out Of San Francisco Production After Endorsing Tea Party Candidate". CBS Local San Fran. KCBS. 18 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Venezuela's leftist leaders move to strip citizenship from actress Maria Conchita Alonso". StarTribune Minneapolis. 17 September 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  10. ↑ Gestionan revocar la nacionalidad venezolana a María Conchita Alonso (In Spanish)

External links

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